Air moistener



July 28, 1931. Q M MlLLs 1,815,951

AIR MoIsTENERv Filed Sept. 6, 1929 ff' 1- Y l5 f 0 v Y I Z' 76 I ||I| L.l l i (f 5 fd? 5 32 .50 /p 43 I //1 f Patented July 2s, 1931 AIBMOIS'TENEB Application led September 6, 1929. Serial No. 390,711..

This invention pertains to 'air moisteners or humidiers, such as areused 'for moistening the air in dwellings, oices, industrialestablishments, or other enclosures, and relates more particularly toimproved means for bringing water and air into intimate contact in sucha way as eiflciently and rapidly tov load an air current substantiallyto the saturation point lwith finely divided water but withoutspattering ,orA wetting down the surroundings. Additionalv features ofutility and novelty, particularly applicable to a clevice of portabletype, will be pointed out at length in. the appended detailed descrip-1.1 tion and by reference to the acccompanying drawings, wherein onepreferred embodiment of the vinvention is illustrated by way of example.f

In the drawlngs': Fig. 1 is a diametricalvertical section showing theinvention as embodied in a portable humidier; 4

, Fig. 21s a vertical section to larger scale, showing details of thewater lifting element and atomizing disc; and Fig. 3 is afrag-mentaryplan view of the parts'shown in g. 2.

The present inventionis.illustrated as emr. `bodied in a humidifier ofthe general type described in' the patents to- Mills, No.

2n-1,439,319,1)ember 19, 1922; No. 1,537,650,

May 12, 1925; and No. 1,604,295, October 26, 1929, to which referencemay be had for a more detailed disclosure of certain of the. structuralfeatures.y As in the arrangement' illustrated in Patent No. 1,604,295,the present apparatus may conveniently comprise a pan, dlsh or otherreceptacle 1 of suitable shape (here shown as substantiallyflat-bottomed) and -usually made from sheetmetal, although any otherdesirable substance, for example glass or ceramic material, may be used.The upper wall of the receptacle preferably comprlses a substantiallyvertical 4iiange 5 whichdei fines atop opening of large diameter'withinwhich a retaining ring 6 fits snugly. This ring 6 is held in placedetachably, if desired, 1n any suitable manner, as illustrated for ex-Ivample in my patent just referred to. Preferably the ring 6 is furnishedwith an in- .f wardly and downwardly inclined ange 9 having a verticalflange 10 at its inner edge which terminates in a substantially radial,annular, supporting flange 11 defining a large central opening 12. Theupper part of ring 6 preferably flares outwardly and upwardly,.and ashere illustrated terminates in a substantially vertical rim 6 having arolled edge.

A cover member 15 is arranged concentrien cally with relation to thering 6, said cover comprising a substantially flat top having a'depending marginal flange 16 terminatlng in an outwardly and downwardlyinclined flange 17 which is provided at its edge with 65 a vertical rim18. This rim 18 isslitted've'rtically and the metal lintervened betweenthe slits is bent angularly to provide the atomizing vanes 19. The lowerends of these vanes (or the lower edge ofrim 18 if the slits do 70 notextend to the bottom of the latter) rest .upon the flange 12, fittingsnugly within the flangel() so that the lcover 15 is supported inconcentric relation to the flange 6. The cover is provided with acentralopening for the 7,5 vertical shaft 28 of a motor 26 supportedupon the cover (preferably with capability for self-centering, asdisclosed in my aforesaid Patent No. 1,604,295). This shaft carries therotating atomizing device (Figs. 1,

2, and 3) preferably comprising a hubv 30 secured to the shaft in anydesired manner, and carrying the dispersing or atomizing disc32. Thisdisc is preferably of a diameter.

closely approximating that of the lvaried ring 18, and may, if desired,be horizontal, al# though preferably as shownthe disc inclinesdownwardly from its center toward its periphery. ,The disc may be ofsheetmaterial, suitably secured to the huh 32, or may be in- 9 tegralwith the hub, asldesired, and its outer edge as here shown is disposedin a planeintermediate the upper and lower ends of the vanes 19. Anelongate tapering water elevating member 34, preferably integral withthe hub 32, projects downwardly below the discand depends nearly to thebottom of receptacle l. If desired, this member 34 may be provided withan external helical groove, as illustrated in my Patent No. 1,537,650.

The motor 26 is preferably enclosed vand protected from moisture by ahollow s hell 35 whose lower edge'rests' upon the inclined flange 17ofthe cover and fits snugly against the vertical flange' 16.

To facilitate lifting the apparatus, I pre.

fer to provide handles 40 and 40a attached to the top wall of thereceptacle l at opposite vsides of the latter, and for convenience in vdetermining the quantity of fluid within the.

receptacle I may provide a float 4l having a' stem 42 which is guided toslide vertically in aligned openings in the handle 40. Vhile in my priorpatented devices I have made ample provision for the discharge of themoisture laden air,and in certain cases for air is freely admitted tothe interior of the 'the vanes.

receptacle at a point outwardly beyond the vanes 19, and this Aair flowsdownwardly and then inwardly (being guided to some extent at least byflanges 8,10 and 11) over the surfaceyof the fluid in the receptacletoward the axis o-f the atomizing disc. The tendency of the disc 32,when rapidly rotated, is to entrain air and expel it radially outwardlythrough the vanes 19, and this outwardly moving air thus travels in adirection opposite tothe air which is admitted through the openings 43.The result of this action is apparently to set up violent swirls oreddies in contact with the lower surface of the atomizing disc, whilethe free entrance of air at the points 43 provides a large'volume to beexpelled at the edge ofthe disc 32, which assists in tearing off thethin film of water at the .edge of the disc and bringing it intovviolent contact with the -vanes 19. The air is .thus caused in anefficient way to take up eddying curmoisture by the contact lof therents with the thin'film on thelower surface of the disc, aswell asto-take up and rapidly carry away the fine particles dispersed by Toincrease the strength of this outwardly without interfering with flowingair current, I preferably provide the under side of the disc with ribsor plates 44 which may be radially or otherwise disposed l and which actafter the manner of fan blades to produce a strong outward draft incontact with the lower surface of the disc.

By reason of the powerful outward flow' vertically narrow cylindricalsections 47,V

thus forming a series of abrupt ribs upon the surface of the casing. Asthus arranged, the moisture laden air, escaping between the vanes 19,rises in the annular guide passage between the curved shell 35 and theouter casing, and flowing toward the outlet opening 48 of the latterencounters successive narrowing zones followed by abruptly wider zones;this produces eddiesand swirls in the air current tending to produce a'thorough mixture of the moisture particles 'and air, andv to break uplarge particles or to cause the deposit of the heavier portions upon theinner surface of the outer casing, down which the collected moistureruns into the receptacle 1. The outlet48, here shown as central, may beat, any desired point (more than one outlet being provided lif desired),it being known, as disclosed for example in niy Patent No. 1,439,319, toprovide outlets for the moisture laden air adapted to deliver it in anydesired direction. lVhile I have shown but a few sections 4G ascomprised in the outer casing, I contemplate thata greater or lessernumber of such sections may be employed and that the formation of eddiesbe accomplished by other and equivalent means if desired.

vAs herein illustrated, the'invention ,is

shown as embodied in a humidifier of portpleasing external shapeandappearance. If

desired, the outer surface may be ornamented in any manner appropriateto the material employed, and since the air which is admitted entersthrough the top wall of the receptacle, it is permissible to set theapparatus upon a flat surface, such as a table top or the like, theproper flow of air, as might be'the case if the air were admittedthrough an opening in the bottom of the device. Although as hereillustrated, the

and separation of large water particles may y device is of portableycharacter, I contemplate.

that lthe principle herein disclosed may ind ready embodiment in ahumidifier of indus- I claim:

trial type, such as employed in mills and like establishments. In thelatter event, the receptacle may be supplied with water froml a servicemain or the like under control of an automaticlvalve if desired, itbeing noted,

- however, thatwhatever the specific embodiment the essentialcharacteristics of the invention as here disclosed will be adhered to.Moreover it is to be understood that various changes and modificationsin arrangements of parts, asl well as substitutions of equivalents forthe elements here disclosed, Imay be made without departing from thespirit of the invention..

1. A portable humidifying apparatus comprising a water receptacle, amotor supported bythe receptacle, an atomizing disc driven by the motor,a series of vanes concentric with the disc, and handles secured to thereceptacle, the receptacle having air inlet openinge between the motorland the handles and so arrangedas to be lconcealed partially at 1 leastbythe handles and `to permit inspection of the water levelfrom a pointabove the handles,` v

2. A humidifying apparatus comprising a fluid receptacle, a motor, anatomizing disc driven by the motor, a series of vanes concentric withthe disc, a protecting shell for the motor, and an outer casing spacedfrom the shell, said shell and casingdefining a guide passage formoisture laden air, the outer casing having-spaced inlet and dischargeopenings.

' 3. A humidifying apparatus comprising a receptacle for liuid, arotating atomizing disc, vanes for impingement by particlescentrifugally expelled bythe disc, and means for directing a current ofair across the surface ofthe contained fluid and against the surface ofthe disc in such manner as to create a swirl in such air by frictionalengagement with the disc. f

4. A humidifying apparatus comprising a receptacle for fluid, atomizingmeans and guide means for moisture laden air leaving` the receptacle,said guide means comprising a converging casing consisting of aplurality of similarly disposed, longitudinally spaced and substantiallyaxially aligned frusto-conical portions having diameters decreasingsuccessively in the direction of How, the smaller end of one of` thesefrusto-conical portions substantially 4registering with the adjacentlarger end ofthe next adjacent frusto-conii calportion, and cylindricalportions inter.

posed between these frusto-conical portions and connecting-the smallerend'of one of the frustoconical portions with the adjacent.

larger end of the next adjacent frusto-conical portion. e

.a receptacle for 5.' A humidifying apparatus comprising a fluidreceptacle, a motor' supported by the receptacle, an atomizing discdriven by the motor, a series of vanes concentric with the disc, aprotecting 'shell for the motor, an outer casing supported by thereceptacle, said outer casing tapering upwardly and cooperating with theshell to define a guide passage for moisture laden air, the outer casingcomprising a series of alternating frustoconical and cylindricalportions.

6. A humidifying apparatus comprising 'a shallow receptacle for fluid,said receptacle having an annular upper wall defining a central opening,atomizing means comprising a rotating disc and a series of vanesconcentric therewith for atomizing water and delivering it from thereceptacle in finely divided condition, the upp'er wall of thereceptacle having an opening for admitting air to the space below thedisc, and an outer guide casing into which the atomizing Huid isdelivered, said casin comprising means for creating eddies inv t emoisture laden air.

. 7 Humidifying apparatus comprising a receptacle for fluid, anatomizing disc arranged to turn about a substantially vertical y Valles.

9. A portable humidifying apparatus omprising a receptacle for water,said receptacle having an annular upper wall defining a centralopening,supporting means disposed within the opening, a motor -carried by saidsupporting means, an atomizing disc driven by the motor, said dischaving water elevating means depending into the rece tacle, and a seriesof vanes concentric wit the disc, the receptacle having openings foradmitting air to the space beneath the disc. l

10. A. portable humidifying apparatus comprising av fluid receptacle, amoto'r sup- .ported by the receptacle, an atomizing disc driven by themotor, a series of vanes concentric with the disc, handles secured tothe receptacle, anda float member within the receptacle, saidfloathaving a stem projecting upwardly from the receptacle, one of thehandles having guides for thestemof the float. 11. AA humidi'ingapparatus comprising uid, said receptacle having bottom and side wallsand an annular upper j wall extending inwardly from the side wall andtransversely above the contained fluid, means disposed within thereceptacle above -the contained Huid and substantially within theannular upper wall for atomizing water,

y the upper wall of the receptacle having an openmg adjacent the sidewall for the admission-of air, and means extending upwardly from saidwall for guiding moisture laden air delivered by the atomizing means. v

Signed by me at Pawtucket, Rhode Island,

this 3rd day of September, 1929.

' BERTRAM M. MILLS.

